Bird Sightings

A fledged Swallow in Millcombe being fed from the branches/Government House. Photo taken a couple of days ago. ©ThomasWeston

Census was undertaken today and was relatively quiet. The nice conditions meant the walk was pleasant and visibility was good, we just needed a few more migrants to drop in with the warm weather. Census started in Millcombe where a nice selection of species were noted including 4 Chaffinches, 3 Carrion Crows, 4 Woodpigeons, 6 Swallows, single Blackcap, single Whitethroat (a ringed individual in the same territory since this spring), 2 Chiffchaff, 15 Wrens, 11 Blackbirds, single Spotted Flycatcher feeding next to Millcombe House, 3 Robins, 2 Pied Wagtails and 4 Dunnocks. The Landing Bay held 6 Shag but nothing else. Moving around to Benjamin’s Chair and SW Fields were quiet with 4 Herring Gulls, single Great Black-backed Gull, 2 Wheatears, 2 Stonechats and 17 Meadow Pipits noted. In the Airfield, a single Kestrel, 8 Ravens, 76 Starlings, 73 Linnets, and part of the flock of 17 Goldfinches were seen. In the Village, 12 Mallard and 37 House Sparrows were seen.

A lovely sunny day today with basically no wind at all.

Amazingly, there was few migrants which was a bit of a surprise. Unlike recently, there were very low numbers of Willow Warblers noted in Millcombe and only a couple of Blackcap seen in the Valley too. The latter were all Lundy born juveniles and a male who could have been a migrant. Finch flocks were present with both Linnet and Goldfinch seen up to Quarter Wall. A Grey Heron and Sand Martin were the only birds of note moving and both species headed South over the Village. An evening visit to Millcombe to check if any migrants had filtered into the valley resulted in no migrant birds seen at all!

Ringing

A Willow Warbler caught and ringed in Millcombe this morning. ©Thomas Weston

Four Willow Warblers and a single retrap Blackcap in Millcombe - not the most busiest given the change in weather.  

A foggy start but very windy too. This did not clear through the day. However, census counts included a single Mallard,  6 Herring Gulls, 2 Fulmar, 3 Manx Shearwaters, single Gannet, single Shag, single Kestrel, 6 Carrion Crows, 8 Ravens, single Skylark, 2 Swallows, 9 Wrens, 29 Starlings, 3 Willow Warblers, single Chiffchaff, 2 Wrens, 23 Starlings, single Robins, single Stonechats, 8 House Sparrows, 3 Pied Wagtails, 3 Meadow Pipits, 63 Linnets, and 4 Goldfinches.

Colour ringed Wheatear from Spring 2023 has been seen 5 times this year and has raised juveniles on the island. Airfield. ©ThomasWeston

A morning that initially looked very good with a breeze from the North hopefully inspiring migrants to move. This was not apparent in the morning with a short ringing session resulting in 5 Willow Warblers caught and ringed. This session was soon closed and census was undertaken. Sightings included 6 Mallards in Barton’s Field; 3 Woodpigeons in Millcombe; single Dunlin over the Village; 12 Herring Gulls; 18 Shags in the Landing Bay; single Peregrine; 5 Carrion Crows, 6 Ravens, 5 Swallows, 13 Willow Warblers mostly at Old Light and Millcombe; 9 Wrens, 71 Starlings, single Blackbird, a Spotted Flycatcher at Old Light; 2 Robin, 7 Wheatears, single Dunnock, 23 House Sparrows, 3 Pied Wagtails, 12 Meadow Pipits, 94 Linnets, and 21 Goldfinches.

A check of the Fulmar productivity site was productive with all chicks present and correct. A Shag colony nearby was very active with 9 juveniles seen including 2 still in nests being fed by parents. There were also 2 Whitethroats in the bracken so there were almost certainly migrants arriving onto the island. Walking back to the Village resulted in a few Mallards on Pondsbury. An afternoon Manx Shearwater session saw all our artificial box birds doing well and one of which looked like it was close to fledging within the nest week. A very exciting move as this bird’s parents have probably left so the chick can fatten up and fledge when it’s ready.

Ringing

House Sparrows/Starling session; Manxie box checks; a morning Millcombe session; an evening ringing session in Millcombe that resulted in resident species juveniles being caught including Goldfinches and Linnets but it was also great to catch the first Garden Warbler of the Autumn as well as a few more Willow Warblers too; and a nocturnal survey saw 9 Wheatears on the tracks of which 2 were caught.